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What could Amazon's new messenger app do for you?

Amazon is mainly known for being a commercial platform, but the company is also working on a few other projects behind the scenes. It’s proven this through its Kindles, while also trying its luck at making smartphones, and today it continues to develop its smart assistant, Alexa. But if one is to believe the rumor mill, it’s also working on an app that’s somewhere between a chat and a social network.

Anytime: the communication service from Amazon

The AFTVnews website published an article suggesting that Amazon may be creating its own email app. We emphasize the ‘may’, because the information isn’t yet confirmed by Amazon, but what is certain is that Amazon has launched a survey asking what features users would like to see on the app. The author of this AFTVnews article seems pretty convinced, providing some extra details, including the name of the app: Anytime.

It would be an instant communication service that would encompass everything that one can already find on the market. Texts, audio (calls, possibly voice messages), and video (video conferences) would be among the features this app would offer. Fans of photography should also find this app beneficial, since it’ll be possible to use “special effects and masks” on images, probably using augmented reality software just like Snapchat, MSQRD, etc.

Apparently, the app would allow several different types of interaction with third party companies. Making a booking was the example given by AFTVnews, which could mean the use of a system of virtual assistants, as seen on many other apps.

Can an instant messaging service be successful today?

Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Snapchat already share the biggest shares of the messaging market, so it’ll be very difficult to get even a tiny share. Anytime will be tackling all the big competitors in the market, and will undoubtedly need to borrow ideas here and there to improve, but it’ll have difficulty exceeding the current range of features (message encryption, no need for a phone number, etc.). It’ll likely take a lot more to convince users to install yet another app on their phone.

Where’s the real problem? Having multiple messenger apps isn’t usually a hindrance, as many use WhatsApp in addition to Facebook Messenger and/or Snapchat. Neither is it about the reputation of the developer, as even Google can’t seem to establish Allo. Maybe the market’s just saturated?

What do you think? Would you install a messenger app from Amazon in addition to whichever app(s) you already use? Why? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.